Scent Work: Mental Exercise for Happier Dogs

Why Scent Work Matters for Every Dog

We all know dogs have a great sense of smell. They’re ability to sniff out the tiniest bit of food in the most unlikely of places is unmatched. But did you know that you could take this natural skill and turn it into an actual game? Sniffing out scraps is all well and good, but it lacks engagement and is not nearly challenging enough. During these cold winter months where your walks are limited, wouldn’t it be great to find a game that involves practicing basic commands, allows you to bond with your dog without having to break a sweat, AND truly tires them out?

What Is Scent Work?

Just as it sounds, scent work means utilizing your dog’s sense of smell to complete a task. Scent work jobs include finding hidden narcotics, missing persons, disease detection, and bed bug detection! But, on a more basic level, scent work jobs at home can be anything from finding that treat to finding that toy. Whatever motivates your dog enough to want to find it once it’s hidden!

Hide and Seek: A Classic Game With a Purpose

The classic game, with a twist! While you are more than welcome to hide from your dog and have them find you (which is a form of scent work), this particular style of hide and seek involves hiding your dog’s favorite treat or toy and asking them to Go Find It! First your dog needs to be out of sight. This is a great time to practice down/stay. If your dog is still learning this command, you may want to have a second person hold your dog on leash out of sight or you can tether your dogs leash to a heavy piece of furniture or a door knob. I recommend using high value treats that your dog doesn’t get often and bonus if they are smelly (ie: Salmon jerky). For first time Hide and Seekers, you’ll want to hide the treat in a very obvious spot (like right next to the couch instead of out of sight under the couch). Have them smell the treat, place them out of sight, and then go hide it. Then, with your dog still on leash, say Go Find It in a really happy tone! Allow them to take the lead and see if they bring you to the area that the treat is hidden in. If they get a little lost, use the leash to guide them to the general area, repeating Go Find It. Once they find it, give lots of praise and say Good Find It! After a few repetitions with you on the other end of the leash, drop the leash and see if your dog has started to understand the objective of the game. A dog who is getting it will immediately start sniffing the ground once you tell them to Go Find It and will lead themselves to the area and very quickly to the spot that the treat is hidden in. The better your dog gets at finding the treat in plain sight, start making your hiding places more complicated. Eventually, you will be able to phase out the leash as well!

Treat Toys and Enrichment Games

There are a bunch of enrichment toys on the market for dogs. Snuffle mats, puzzle toys, and wobbler toys to name a frew. These toys require your dog to use their sniffer to work for their food. The more your dog works for something they want, the more value they find in it. For some dogs, these toys are great in boosting confidence. Above all, these toys get your dog…to think! You can combine the use of these toys with basic command practice. For example, you can ask your dog to sit, lie down, stay and then place the enrichment toy down, finally inviting them to go and get it. OR you could play hide and seek with it! Whatever you do, you will be burning brain calories. You will be asking your dog to complete a task by using their sniffer. So your dog gets to do something they love, that comes naturally to them, while working alongside you. This is relationship building at its finest!

Why Working for Food Builds Confidence and Prevents Boredom

Dogs find great value in food. They need it to survive, plain and simple. In today’s world, with so much at our disposal, it’s very easy to just give your dog food and move on with your day. While your dog will eat it, to just be given something detracts the actual value of the object. The more your dog is just given things, and the less they are being asked to work for it, the more bored they become. And from boredom stems a whole host of unwanted behavioral issues. We also are not taking the opportunity to tap into the many amazing skills our dogs have and want to show us! By incorporating scent work games into your daily routine, you will be exercising your dog physically and mentally and boosting their confidence. The more you get to do the things you love with the people you love, well, it doesn’t get any better than that!